Cabinet received the Detailed Assessment Updating & Screening Assessment Report (USA) of air quality in the Vale of Glamorgan 2011 and approval was sought to consult with the residents, the public, stakeholders and statutory consultees on the declaration of an Air Quality Management Area for a designated area of Windsor Road, Penarth.

Air pollution remained a serious public health issue and its contribution to ill health and mortality was significant across the UK. The Council had a statutory obligation under the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess air quality within its area against objectives for a number of key pollutants within the Air Quality Standards (Wales) Regulation 2010.

The Council must consider air quality within its boundary and publish its findings annually. An Updating & Screening Assessment report was required every 3 years, with Progress Reports required for each subsequent year.

At locations where air quality failed or was unlikely to meet the prescribed objectives, the Council must declare Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). The Council must then develop and implement an Action Plan to address the situation within 12 months. When considering the declaration of an AQMA, the Council was required to undertake consultation with the public, statutory consultees and stakeholders.

The Executive Summary of the Updating and Screening Assessment (USA) report was attached as Appendix 1 and concluded that the majority of the Vale’s air quality was compliant with the objectives but recommended that there be continued monitoring to assess the impact of on-going development, traffic flows and new sources of pollution.

The USA report also identified and recommended further actions to monitor or address air quality to include:

A recommendation to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) for a section of Windsor Road, Penarth.

Further monitoring for Particulate Matter (PM10) at Windsor Rd, Penarth using more sophisticated equipment as potential exceedence of the relevant objective was identified.

Further monitoring and assessment of air quality in Holton Road, Barry, where the public may be exposed to traffic pollution for more than one hour due to e.g. out door dining.

Further monitoring and assessment of air quality in Cogan within 12 months of the declaration of an AQMA along Windsor Road Penarth.

Steps had already been taken to address recommendations 2 – 4 above, including increased monitoring of air quality at Holton Road, Barry, Cogan and Windsor Road, Penarth.

With regard to recommendation 1 above, data collected over a number of years suggested that along Windsor Road and Cogan Junction, emissions of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) were at, or close to, the relevant Annual Average concentration objective of 40ug/m3. A map, summarising the model of Nitrogen Dioxide levels was presented at Appendix 2 and the full detailed assessment was available in the Member’s room.

The Detailed Assessment identified that the annual average mean for the Nitrogen Dioxide objective (40ug/m3) was likely to be exceeded at a small number of relevant locations. These were indicated as red dots on the map in Appendix 2. The Detailed Assessment recommended these properties be included in an AQMA. Some properties were also identified where the 40ug/ms objective was at risk where concentrations were at least 36ug/ms and were included on the map by amber dots. The Detailed Assessment also recommended these properties be included in an AQMA.

It was recommended that the properties marked in red and amber were included within the proposed AQMA. The proposed area was shown in Appendix 3.

Under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995, the Council had a statutory duty to consult residents, statutory consultees and other stakeholders before declaring, varying or revoking an AQMA. Approval was sought to carry out consultation on a proposed Air Quality Management Area for Windsor Road over a 10 week period starting on the 2nd January 2013. During this period residents living in and surrounding the proposed area would be contacted and provided with information on the nature of an Air Quality Management Area and why it was being considered. To assist in disseminating this information a drop-in session would be arranged in the local area to enable residents to speak directly to Council officers about the proposal.

In addition, known stakeholders and interested parties would be contacted and invited to comment. Officers would also promote the consultation through the Council's website, social media and local press inviting comment on the proposal. Comments received would be collated and considered before a recommendation on the way forward be made to Cabinet in the Spring 2013.

The Pollution Control team had an existing budget to complete a programme of air quality monitoring across the Vale. Additional NO2 diffusion tube and particulate monitoring would be required but the costs would be met from existing budgets. The consultation could be met from existing budgets and resources.

This was a matter for Executive decision.

RESOLVED –

(1) T H A T the content, conclusions and recommendations of the Detailed Assessment Updating & Screening Assessment (USA) of air quality in the Vale of Glamorgan 2011 be approved.

(2) T H A T the Council consults with the residents, the public, stakeholders and statutory consultees on the declaration on Air Quality Management Area for a designated area of Windsor Road, Penarth.

(3) T H A T the report be referred to the Scrutiny Committees for Housing and Public Protection and Economy and Environment as part of the consultation exercise.

(4) T H A T the outcome of the consultation be submitted to Scrutiny Committees for Housing and Public Protection and Economy and Environment for consideration, before being brought back to Cabinet in the spring of 2013.

Reasons for decisions

(1) To approve the findings of the Detailed Assessment and Updating & Screening Assessment of Air Quality in the Vale of Glamorgan 2011.

(2) To agree consultation on the proposed declaration of an Air Quality Management Area for a designated area of Windsor Road, Penarth.

(3) In order that the views of the Scrutiny Committee Housing and Public Protection are sought as part of the consultation process.

(4) To ensure the Housing and Public Protection and Economy and Environment Scrutiny Committees have an opportunity to review any comments received as part of the consultation process.